Council tax
Council tax bands in Bournemouth 2026/27
- Band D in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: £2,436 a year from April 2026
- £244 a month over the usual 10 payments
- £203 a month if you pay over 12
- Band A, the lowest: £1,624 a year
Bournemouth is in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council’s area.
Not sure of your band? Look up an address
Official figures for April 2026 to March 2027 · England · Independent, not a council service
Paying too much council tax? We compare your band with similar homes on your street to see if you could lower your council tax or claim back payments from the council.
Council tax band check — £3.99Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council tax by band, 2026/27
| Band | Value in April 1991 | A year | Over 10 months | Over 12 months | Homes here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | Up to £40,000 | £1,624 | £162 | £135 | |
| Band B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,894 | £189 | £158 | |
| Band C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,165 | £216 | £180 | |
| Band D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,436 | £244 | £203 | |
| Band E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,977 | £298 | £248 | |
| Band F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,518 | £352 | £293 | |
| Band G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,059 | £406 | £338 | |
| Band H | Over £320,000 | £4,871 | £487 | £406 |
Explanation of the figures
For two adults, including the average parish charge. Most councils bill in 10 monthly payments, usually April to January; you can ask for 12 instead, which makes each one smaller.
“Homes here” is the share of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s homes in each band, from the Valuation Office Agency. Bands depend on what a home was worth in April 1991, not today.
Moving to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?
- On Universal Credit or Housing Benefit? Local Housing Allowance for a postcode, the most it pays towards rent.
- Council tax when you move house: who to tell, and when the new bill starts.
- Living alone? The single person discount takes 25% off the bill.
- Renting for the first time? The steps, and what to check before you sign, including the certificates your landlord must give you.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council tax at a glance
Band D in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is £2,436 a year for 2026/27, £44 above the England average of £2,392: the 143rd lowest of 296 councils in England, and the 7th lowest of 27 in South West.
That is £171 (7.5%) more than in 2025/26, more than the 4.9% rise across England.
More homes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are in Band C than any other (29%), where the bill is £2,165 a year. 32% of homes are in Bands A or B, against 43% across England.
Of a Band D bill, £2,016 (83%) goes to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council and the rest to Dorset Police and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority.
Band D in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is lower than in 2 of its 6 nearest councils. Fareham has the lowest Band D of them at £2,271 and Dorset the highest at £2,765.
Homes in each band
The darker bar is the most common band in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. From the Valuation Office Agency.
Where a Band D bill in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole goes
The council’s share includes the average parish charge and, where it has one, the adult social care precept. Other bands pay the same split.
Council tax near Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Band D a year in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and the nearest councils, highest first. Moving a few miles can change the bill by hundreds of pounds a year for the same band.
The dashed line is the England average Band D, £2,392. Every council in England.
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Renting in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: council tax questions
What are the council tax bands in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?
For April 2026 to March 2027, council tax in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is £1,624 for Band A, £1,894 for Band B, £2,165 for Band C, £2,436 for Band D, £2,977 for Band E, £3,518 for Band F, £4,059 for Band G, £4,871 for Band H, a year. These are the official averages for two adults, including the police, fire and any county or mayor’s share, and the average parish charge.
How much is it if I live alone?
A single adult gets 25% off. In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that brings Band C, the most common band here, from £2,165 to £1,624 a year, and Band D to £1,827. A home where everyone is a full-time student pays nothing.
Check a home’s band: GOV.UK council tax band search, or our guide to council tax bands. Think yours is wrong? How to challenge your band, free. Who pays in a shared house: who pays council tax when renting. Why a bill can differ from these averages, and when charges change: council tax bands in every council. Rents, licensing and the areas people rent in: renting in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Where these figures come from
MHCLG council tax levels, 2026/27 and 2025/26; homes in each band from the VOA’s stock of properties (31 March 2026). Open Government Licence v3.0. Averages for the council area, not a bill. Independent, not connected with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council.
Check the property
Run a free check on the property before you commit.
Found a home in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole? A free check shows the energy rating, flood risk and crime for the address. Complete RenterCheck adds its council tax band and what the home will really cost each month.